AAP’s Punjab ex-leader Gomar could join Congress: Amarinder

New Delhi, Dec 14 (IANS) As one Akali leader and two from AAP joined the Congress on Wednesday, Congress Punjab unit chief Amarinder Singh said former AAP leader Yamini Gomar too could be joining the party.

Gomar, a member of the Aam Aadmi Party National Executive and AAP candidate from Hoshiarpur Reserved assembly consttuency in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, resigned from the primary membership of the AAP on Tuesday and dubbed it “anti-Dalit and anti-Sikh”.

“Yamini met me a few days back and showed interest in joining the Punjab Congress,” Amarinder Singh told the media here.

The AAP leaders who joined the Congress on Wednesday are Mahesh Gupta and Gurbans Singh Punia. Amrik Singh Aliwal, a former Vice-President of the Shiromani Akali Dal and former LOk Sabha member from Ludhiana, also joined the Congress.

Amarinder came down heavily on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and accused him of lying on the Sutlej-Yamuna Link canal issue.

“Kejriwal will again change his stand on the SYL after the Punjab elections. If he is really interested in promoting and protecting the interests of the Dalits and the Sikhs, why is there no Dalit or Sikh member in his Cabinet,” asked Amarinder Singh.

On former cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu, Amarinder said: “He will surely come to the Congress.”

As for the Congress list for the 2017 assembly polls in Punjab, the former Chief Minister said: “There is no delay and the process is going on the right track. The last Scrutiny Committee meeting is scheduled for today (Wednesday).”

He said: “The list of candidates will most likely be released in two lots.”

In a previous press briefing, Amarinder Singh had said there will be only one list.

Earlier, the former Chief Minister had said the first list of candidates will be out on December 4 and the second by December 8.

On differences within the Punjab Congress over the selection of candidates and tickets to turncoats, Amarinder again denied such reports.

“There is a total consensus on the names being finalised by the Scrutiny Committee and for further submission to the Congress Electoral Committee. The date for the final CEC meeting is not yet confirmed,” said the Punjab Congress chief.